Lafayette’s Tour Sign

This simple marker, outside of the New Hampshire State House, tells the story of a visit that carried a deep meaning for a young nation finding its identity.

The sign commemorates the return of Marquis de Lafayette during his grand tour of the United States in 1824-1825. Nearly fifty years after the American Revolution, Lafayette was invited back to the country he had helped to secure.  

As he traveled from state to state, Lafayette was welcomed with ceremonies, parades and gatherings. His presence was a living connection to the founding of the nation. When he arrived in Concord in Jne of 1825, he was formally received by the state legislature at the State House. The citizens gathered to honor a man who had stood beside Washington and helped share the country’s independence.

I am drawn to markers like this. They are windows into moments and remind me that history is not distant. These markers create my own kind of tour and invite me to move from place to place, connecting stories and gathering a deeper understanding of the path that has led us to where we are today.